How pumped storage energy is developing in China?

Against the backdrop of the “dual-carbon” goals and the accelerated construction of a new energy system, pumped storage energy, accompanied by the demand for a large amount of new energy, has experienced vigorous development in China. Currently, China has built pumped storage installed capacity of 50 million kilowatts, ranking first in the world.

How has China progressed in conventional pumped storage technology?

Over more than fifty years of effort, China has progressed in conventional pumped storage technology, from introduction and assimilation to innovation.

Can pumped storage stations be used as energy storage support?

With China continuously scaling up the construction of integrated clean energy bases like “hydro-wind-storage” and new energy bases such as “Shagohuang”, pumped storage stations, especially variable-speed ones, will be more widely applied as energy storage support in regional grids (China Power, 2023).

Why is pumped storage hydropower station important?

The pumped storage hydropower station has always played an important role in promoting economic development and rural revitalization. As a clean energy base, it is an important power support and energy infrastructure that meets the direction of national investment.

How are pumped storage costs borne by end users?

The capacity charges for pumped storage power and losses are incorporated into the unified accounting of operating expenses for local provincial-level grids and are then passed on to end users through the sale of electricity. This means that pumped storage costs can be borne by end users.

How long does it take to build a pumped storage power station?

The construction period of PSPSs is long, with large investments required. Typically, it takes 5–8 years to construct a 1.2 million kilowatt pumped storage power station, with investments ranging from tens of billions to hundreds of billions (Chen and Luo, 2020, Zhang et al., 2020, Zhang et al., 2019).